Re: [MV] Columbia and escape modules...

From: Patrick Jankowiak (eccm@swbell.net)
Date: Sun Feb 02 2003 - 02:43:23 PST


Nonetheless, a large spherical fuel tank survived intact today.
whether anyone riding in a similarly made but larger escape device
would not have been roasted or smashed to pieces inside it is another
story.

Chris Davis wrote:
>
> Now that you mention it, I remember that "entire cockpit" option too... but
> I also remember a bit from the movie "Apollo 13" (I was alive for the
> actual event, but too young to pay much attention) anyway in the movie they
> talk about the re-entry of the capsule having to occur at very precise
> angles and speeds or the thing would burn up (despite its shielding) or
> skip off the atmosphere like a stone skipping on a lake....
>
> Even with todays computer controls, I bet it would be difficult to "eject"
> a cockpit pod and get the attitude and direction right after the
> separation. Things have to be happening awfully fast at that speed.
>
> As for the funding cuts of past administrations... I agree with you. NASA
> should have had more, not less funding. (And should today.)
>
> Chris Davis
>
> Chris DavisAt 04:04 PM 2/1/03 -0600, J Travis wrote:
> >As I recall, one of the proposals put forward after Challenger was
> >analyzed was for a cockpit "module" that could be seperated and would
> >contain the entire crew, similar in function to the F-111 and the B1-B
> >bombers (although engineered to meet the greater loads). It was later
> >decided that it would be too expensive to retrofit the shuttles for NASA's
> >budget during the Clinton administration.
> >
> >Jay Travis
> >
> >Chris Davis wrote:
> >
> >>Hi Jay, and list...
> >>
> >>Sad day for all of us, but I don't think the escape module would have
> >>helped in this instance. If I remember right, the design was based on a
> >>launch failure like Challenger's... not a "pod" that would withstand
> >>re-entry speeds and heat.
> >>
> >>Chris Davis
> >>MVPA#20000
> >>Lake Elsinore, CA
> >>
> >>At 12:23 PM 2/1/03 -0600, J Travis wrote:
> >>
> >>>> Looks like that decision to cut costs by eliminating the crew escape
> >>>>module to save on the budget might not have been such a great idea after
> >>>>all, huh? Thanks, Mr. Clinton. I'm sure all those public school library
> >>>>copies of "Billy has Two Daddies" bought with the "savings" on the NASA
> >>>>budget are a real comfort to the families of the astronauts...
> >>>>
> >>>>What we REALLY need is to go ahead and fund the development of the space
> >>>>plane, to replace the Orbiter (space shuttle) system that SHOULD have
> >>>>been done in the late eighties. But between cutting the NASA budget to
> >>>>fund politically motivated social agendas and not being willing to
> >>>>overhaul the industry built around continuing the support of this
> >>>>obsolete technology, we now find ourselves right back where we were in
> >>>>1986 with Challenger. My sympathies to the families of those lost today.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Jay Travis
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Ryan Gill wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>At 9:48 AM -0500 2/1/03, Alan R Wise wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>>Terrible day, February 1, 2003.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>Damn it.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
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